1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to those devices that are designed specifically to dry shoes. More specifically, the present invention relates to shoe dryers that utilize the heat exhaust of drying machines while the drying machines are in operation, so as to provide a separate compartment from the clothes dryer for drying the shoes. While the dryer is used to dry clothes, the heat exhaust which would normally by vented to the outdoor environment is directed to the compartment containing the shoes. In this way the shoes can be dried while the clothes are drying.
The primary problem associated with drying shoes in the conventional automatic clothes dryer compartment while the dryer is in operation, is that a separate drying cycle must be used to dry the shoes since it is not desirable to dry the shoes with clothes in the dryer compartment because of the likelihood of damaging the clothes. Not only is the separate drying cycle a waste of time, but it is also a waste of energy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of drying machines have been designed for drying clothing and shoes. Some use heated air directed toward the object to be dried, others use heating elements to direct heat to the object, while others use heated drying chambers having rotating drums. These are but a few examples of the many drying machines of the prior art. The most relevant prior art is described below and include an additional stationary drying chamber connected to clothes drying machines using a rotating drum.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,197,886 issued Aug. 3, 1965 to Gordon R. Brame et al. discloses a clothes dryer with an inner chamber having a rotating drum as well as a stationary outer drying compartment in which a portion of the hot air of the blower can be directed to the stationary outer drying compartment which then passes to the room containing the dryer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,481 issued Dec. 24, 1969 to Joseph F. Rumsey, Jr. discloses a clothes dryer with an inner chamber having a rotating drum as well as a stationary outer drying compartment in which the outlet duct of the clothes dryer has a valve for redirecting the heat exhausted by the dryer to the stationary outer drying compartment which then passes to the room containing the dryer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,616 issued Jun. 21, 1966 to Joseph M. McGoldrick discloses a clothes dryer with an inner chamber having a rotating drum as well as a stationary outer drying compartment in which the outlet duct of the clothes dryer has a valve for redirecting the heat exhausted by the dryer to the stationary outer drying compartment which then passes back to the exhaust duct.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,957 issued Mar. 20, 1990 to Acosta et al. discloses a clothes dryer with an inner chamber having a rotating drum as well as a stationary outer drying compartment in which an inlet duct is connected to the heat exhausted by the dryer and the outlet duct is connected to the exhaust duct.
None of the prior art of record discloses a clothes dryer with an inner chamber having a rotating drum as well as a stationary outer drying compartment in which an inlet duct connected to the heat exhaust of the clothes dryer as well as the outlet duct connected to the exhaust duct both lead into a duct chamber. By this arrangement, the heat exhaust of the clothes dryer can be directed from the inlet duct into the outer drying compartment and then through the outlet duct. Alternatively, the heat exhaust of the clothes dryer could be directly from the inlet duct to the outlet duct by not allowing the heat exhaust of the clothes dryer to leave the duct compartment.